Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to guides and support members for members such as wires, cables and conduits and, more particularly, to guides for supporting multiple wires and/or cables while providing easy access thereto.
2. Description of the Invention Background
One might surmise that there are millions of miles of wires and cables distributed throughout the world for transmitting a variety of different electrical, optical, data, etc. signals between pieces of equipment. Regardless of the type of signal involved, a common installation scenario may involve one or more common locations wherein several of such wires and cables are brought together for interconnection with various electrical or optical components and/or other wires and cables. Junction boxes, electrical cabinets and racks of electrical components are examples of such locations.
In applications wherein several wires and cables must enter a cabinet, junction box, etc., it is often difficult for the electricians and installers to manage the distribution of the wires into and out of the cabinet in an orderly manner so that the components to which the wires are attached may be easily and safely accessed and that specific wire or wires may be easily traced as needed. In the past, wire trays have been employed for supporting a plurality of wires and cables entering an electrical cabinet. A common wire tray may comprise an elongated trough that is sized to receive a plurality of wires therein. In some applications, the tops of the trays are left open and the wires are simply laid in the tray. If desired, a cover may be placed over the tray. Such trays, because of their enclosed nature, hamper quick identification of a specific wire or wires and, if placed in a vertical orientation, are commonly covered to retain the wires within the tray.
Although the above-mentioned wire and cable management problems occur wherever several wires and cables enter a cabinet, junction box, rack, etc. and are essentially encountered in one form or another in all industries, one industry wherein such problems can be particularly acute is in the telecommunications industry. For example, with the advent of the Internet, a practice employed in the telecommunications industry involves the use of digital subscriber lines (xe2x80x9cDSLxe2x80x9d) that allow data to be transmitted over a dedicated digital circuit using ordinary copper telephone lines between a business or a residence and an Internet service provider. DSL technology transmits at higher speeds than traditional analog technology. In situations wherein a customer is located a great distance from the central office, conventional analog call-switching equipment along with digital modems known as DSL multiplexers, sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9cD-slamsxe2x80x9d are employed in connection with remote terminal arrangements that contain all of the telephone lines servicing a particular geographical area.
FIG. 1 illustrates some of the equipment commonly installed within a remote terminal 10. Located within the remote terminal are a number of protector bays 12 that are mounted to a framework 14 that permits each bay to be partially pivoted relative to the framework 14 to permit access in to the rear of the bay 12. Each protector bay 12 comprises a 100 fuses 16 commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cprotector blocksxe2x80x9d. When used, each protector block 16 has four cables 18 which transmit the telephone and ADSL signals. FIG. 1 depicts several of such wires 18 attached to various protector blocks 16. The reader will appreciate that such mass of wires 18 will increase as more of the protector blocks 16 are employed. Such mass of wires 18 hanging in front of the protector bays 12 makes it difficult and time consuming to locate a particular protector block 16 and trace the wires 18 attached to that particular protector block.
Thus, there is a need for a cable support apparatus that can support a portion of one or more cables in a desired orientation that can be easily attached and detached from adjacent support structure.
There is a further need for a cable support apparatus that has the above-mentioned features and that permits wires to be inserted into the cable support apparatus and removed therefrom without the use of tools.
There is still another need for a cable support apparatus that has one or more of the above-mentioned features and that permits the wires to be easily observed and identified without having to be removed from the apparatus.
There is another need for a cable support apparatus that has one or more of the above-mentioned features and that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to install and reposition if necessary.
Another need exists for a cable support apparatus that has one or more of the above-mentioned features and that can be effectively employed in connection with other wire and cable management applications.
In accordance with one form of the present invention, there is provided a cable support apparatus that includes a clamp that has a cable-receiving support member attached thereto. The cable-receiving support member defines a cable-receiving area having a perimeter surrounded by a rigid barrier. The rigid barrier has an opening therethrough through which at least one cable may be inserted.
Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a means for supporting a cable and means for removably clamping attached that is to the means for supporting a cable.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention comprises a cable supporting apparatus that includes a C-shaped body that has a threaded thumbscrew attached thereto. A split ring that defines a central cable-receiving area having a perimeter surrounded by rigid portions of the split ring is attached to the C-shaped body. The split ring has an access area for permitting a cable to be inserted into the cable-receiving area.
Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a cable support apparatus that includes a clamp that has a cable-receiving ring attached thereto.
Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a method of supporting at least one cable attached to components supported by a framework. The method may include clamping a split ring that defines a central cable-receiving area that has a perimeter surrounded by rigid members and an opening between the rigid members to permit a cable to be inserted therethrough onto the framework. The method further includes inserting at least one cable through the opening into the cable-receiving area.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various embodiments of the present invention provide unique and novel methods of organizing and supporting a plurality of cables or other transfer mediums that are attached to components supported within a framework. These details, features and advantages will become further apparent as the following detailed description of the embodiments proceeds.